Incidence and influencing factors of cephalosporin-induced anaphylaxis: a multicenter cross-sectional study. / é™è„‰æ³¨å°„å¤´å­¢èŒç´ ç±»è¯ç‰©æ‚£è€ è¿‡æ•ååº”å‘ç”ŸçŽ‡åŠå ¶å½±å“å› ç´ çš„å¤šä¸­å¿ƒä¸´åºŠç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence and influencing factors of allergic reactions to cephalosporins. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 29 medical institutions in Zhejiang Province was conducted from April 2021 to June 2021. The incidence of allergic reactions to cephalosporins was investigated. The influencing factors of cephalosporin-induced allergic reactions were analyzed by Poisson regression. RESULTS: A total of 56 155 patients were included in this study. The total incidence of allergic reactions to cephalosporin was 1.67 ‰, the highest incidences of anaphylaxis occurred in ceftizoxime (4.27‰), followed by ceftriaxone (3.49‰) and cefotaxime (2.40‰). There was no significant difference in the incidence of allergic reactions between patients with negative skin tests and those without skin tests (1.75‰ vs. 1.63‰, RR=1.07, 95%CI:0.70-1.63, P> 0.05). Poisson regression showed that body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/cm2 (RR=2.43, 95%CI: 1.23-4.82, P<0.01) and history of ß-lactam antibiotics allergy (RR=33.88, 95%CI: 1.47-781.12, P<0.05) increased cephalosporin-induced anaphylaxis. Compared with cefuroxime, the risk of allergic reactions was increased for ceftriaxone (RR=3.08, 95%CI: 1.70-5.59, P<0.01), ceftazidime (RR=1.89, 95%CI: 1.03-3.47, P<0.05), and ceftriaxone (RR=3.74, 95%CI: 1.64-8.50, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Lower BMI and history of ß-lactam antibiotics allergy increase the risk of cephalosporin allergic reactions, and the routine skin test may not reduce the occurrence of allergic reactions to cephalosporins.

Safety of TNF-α inhibitors: A real-world study based on the US FDA Adverse Event Reporting System Database.

As a common treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the adverse reactions of TNF-α inhibitors (TNFis) in practical application have garnered attention. This study aims to investigate the adverse drug events (ADEs) associated with TNFi in RA patients as reported in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, to offer insights for clinical use. Cases related to RA and primarily involving TNFi were extracted from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database and compared by gender stratification. Screening was conducted based on reporting odds ratio and information component to identify positive ADEs for different TNFis and evaluate common and unique ADEs among various TNFis. There are 4 common ADEs among TNFis, including pulmonary tuberculosis, infection, hypersensitivity, and herpes zoster, as described in the package inserts. However, each TNFi has unique positive ADEs. Adalimumab has 63 unique positive ADEs, including lower respiratory tract inflammation, systemic lupus erythematosus rash, vascular dementia, ovarian neoplasm, adhesion, sarcoma, coccidioidomycosis, etc. Golimumab has 6 unique positive ADEs, including pneumonia cryptococcal, device deployment issue, pneumonia bacterial, polyneuropathy, device malfunction, device issue, etc; certolizumab has 24 unique positive ADEs, including maternal exposure before pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, exposure via breast milk, staphylococcal sepsis, erysipelas, low birth weight baby, herpes virus infection, premature delivery, etc; etanercept has 180 unique positive ADEs, including joint destruction, chondrolysis, finger deformity, ankle deformity, joint warmth, etc; infliximab has 60 unique positive ADEs, including Hodgkin's disease, metastatic neoplasm, non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, etc. Although the aforementioned 5 TNFis share common ADEs such as herpes zoster, clinicians must exercise caution when selecting specific medications, especially for RA patients concurrently suffering from malignancies. The analysis indicates that infliximab is associated with 60 unique positive ADEs, including Hodgkin's disease, metastatic neoplasm, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; therefore, these patients should use infliximab with greater caution. Similarly, certolizumab should be used with increased caution in pregnant and postpartum women.

Mechanism Analysis of Selenium-Containing Compounds in Alleviating Spinal Cord Injury Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe traumatic condition in spinal surgery characterized by nerve damage in and below the injured area. Despite advancements in understanding the pathophysiology of SCI, effective clinical treatments remain elusive. Selenium compounds have become a research hotspot due to their diverse medicinal activities. Previously, our group synthesized a selenium-containing Compound 34# with significant anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to explore the anti-SCI effects of selenium-containing compounds using network pharmacology, molecular docking (MD), and ADMET methods. To identify SCI-related targets and those associated with 34#, GeneCards, NCBI, and SEA databases were employed. Eight overlapping targets were considered candidate targets, and molecular docking was performed using the PDB database and AutoDock software. The STRING database was used to obtain protein-protein interactions (PPI). Molecular dynamics simulation, MM/GBSA binding free energy score, and ADMET prediction were used to evaluate the potential targets and drug properties of 34#. Finally, experiments on NSC34 cells and mice were to verify the effects of 34# on SCI. Our results revealed eight candidate targets for 34# in the treatment of SCI. PPI and MD identified ADRB2 and HTR1F as the highest connectivity with 34#. ADMET analysis confirmed the low toxicity and safety of 34#. In vitro and in vivo models validated the anti-SCI effects. Our study elucidated candidate targets for alleviating SCI with 34#, explored PPI and target-related signaling pathways, and validated its anti-SCI effects. These findings enhance our understanding of 34#'s mechanism in treating SCI, positioning it as a potential candidate for SCI prevention.

Adverse tumor events induced by ranitidine: an analysis based on the FAERS database.

BACKGROUND: Ranitidine induced tumor adverse events remains a contradictory clinical question, due to the limited evidence of tumor risk associated with ranitidine in the real world. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of ranitidine with all types of tumors through the FAERS database and to provide a reference for clinical use. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Cancer cases associated with ranitidine in the FAERS database from the first quarter of 2004 to the fourth quarter of 2023 were extracted to analyze demographic characteristics, and a disproportion analysis was performed. RESULT: A total of 662,998 ranitidine-related cancer cases were screened, and the 50-59 and 60-69 groups accounted for the largest proportion. In PT signal detection, ranitidine was associated with 98 PT, including penal cancer stage II, gastric cancer stage II, et al. In terms of outcome events, adverse events were higher in men (20.65%) than in women (18.47%). CONCLUSIONS: Ranitidine may induce various tumor-related adverse reactions, especially in long-term users and elderly patients. For these patients, tumor screening should be strengthened, and long-term use of ranitidine should be avoided. Since this study cannot prove causality, further evidence is needed for prospective studies with a larger sample size.

Impact of large A-site cations on electron-vibrational interactions in 2D halide perovskites: Ab initio quantum dynamics.

Using ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics, we study the effect of large A-site cations on nonradiative electron-hole recombination in two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites HA2APb2I7, HA = n-hexylammonium, A = methylammonium (MA), or guanidinium (GA). The steric hindrance created by large GA cations distorts and stiffens the inorganic Pb-I lattice, reduces thermal structural fluctuations, and maintains the delocalization of electrons and holes at ambient and elevated temperatures. The delocalized charges interact more strongly in the GA system than in the MA system, and the charge recombination is accelerated. In contrast, replacement of only some MA cations with GA enhances disorder and increases charge lifetime, as seen in three-dimensional perovskites. This study highlights the key influence of structural fluctuations and disorder on the properties of charge carriers in metal halide perovskites, providing guidance for tuning materials' optoelectronic performance.

Injectable cell-laden silk acid hydrogel.

This study presents an injectable cell-laden hydrogel system based on silk acid, a carboxylated derivative of natural silk fibroin, which exhibits promising applications in biomedicine. The hydrogel is produced under physiological conditions (37 °C and pH 7.4) via physical crosslinking. Notably, the hydrogel demonstrates remarkable cytocompatibility, enabling efficient cell encapsulation, and exhibits good injectability. These promising results strongly indicate the potential of silk acid hydrogel for transformative applications, including 3D cell culture, targeted cell delivery, and tissue engineering.

MicroRNA delivery based on nanoparticles of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular disease, especially myocardial infarction, is a serious threat to human health. Many drugs currently used cannot achieve the desired therapeutic effect due to the lack of selectivity. With the in-depth understanding of the role of microRNA (miRNA) in cardiovascular disease and the wide application of nanotechnology, loading drugs into nanoparticles with the help of nano-delivery system may have a better effect in the treatment of cardiomyopathy. In this review, we highlight the latest research on miRNAs in the treatment of cardiovascular disease in recent years and discuss the possibilities and challenges of using miRNA to treat cardiomyopathy. Secondly, we discuss the delivery of miRNA through different nano-carriers, especially inorganic, polymer and liposome nano-carriers. The preparation of miRNA nano-drugs by encapsulating miRNA in these nano-materials will provide a new treatment option. In addition, the research status of miRNA in the treatment of cardiomyopathy based on nano-carriers is summarized. The use of this delivery tool cannot only realize therapeutic potential, but also greatly improve drug targeting and reduce side effects.

Integrative Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of Primary Malignant Gliomas Revealed Different Patterns Between Grades and Somatic Mutations Related to Glioblastoma Prognosis.

Background: As reflected in the WHO classification of glioma since 2020, genomic information has been an important criterion in addition to histology for glioma classification. There is a significant intergrade difference as well as intragrade difference of survival probability among glioma patients. Except the molecular criteria used in the WHO classification, few studies have explored other genomic factors that may be underlying these survival differences, especially in Chinese populations. Here, we used integrative genomic approaches to characterize a Chinese glioma cohort to search for potential prognostic biomarkers. Methods: We recruited 46 Chinese patients with primary malignant glioma. All the patients were analyzed with whole-exome sequencing (WES) and 27 of them were analyzed with RNA-seq. We compared the molecular features between patients in different WHO grades. We classified the glioblastoma (GBM) patients into two groups (good vs poor survival) using six-month progression-free survival (PFS6) status and compared the genomic profiles between the two groups. Results: We found grade II and grade III patients cluster together (LGG) and they are different from GBM in unsupervised clustering analysis with RNA-seq data. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) comparing GBM and the LGG group suggested that GBM had upregulation of multiple pathways related to genome integrity and immune cell infiltration. Further comparison of somatic mutations between the two groups revealed TOPAZ1 as a novel mutation associated with GBM and prevalence of CNV in multiple genes in GBM. Comparison between PFS6 good and poor GBM patients revealed six genes (TRIML2, ROCK1, PKD1, OBSCN, HECTD4, and ADCY7) were significantly mutated and two genes (NTRK1 and B2M) had more CNV alterations in the poor prognosis group. Conclusion: Taken together, our molecular data revealed that GBM patient showed distinct characteristics related to individual gene, chromosome integrity, and infiltrating immune cells compared to LGG (grade II/III) patients. We also identified few novel genes with SNV or CNV, which might be the potential markers for clinical outcome of GBM.

Improving Lattice Rigidity and Charge Carrier Lifetime by Engineering Spacer Cation of Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites: A Time-Domain Ab Initio Study.

First-principles quantum dynamics calculations show that charge carrier lifetimes, charge transport, and lattice stability are notably improved when BA (CH3(CH2)3NH3+) in BA2PbI4 is replaced with MTEA (CH3(CH2)2SNH3+). By suppressing atomic fluctuations, MTEA enhances the lattice stiffness and inhibits loss of coherence due to the S-S interaction. By delocalizing hole wave functions on the MTEA, particularly on the S atoms, while maintaining the electron wave functions largely unchanged compared to the BA2PbI4, MTEA serves to enhance charge transport and NA coupling while narrowing the bandgap by 0.18 eV. Overall, MTEA decreases NA coupling due to slow atomic motions against a large overlap of electron-hole wave functions, which suppresses nonradiative electron-hole recombination and prolongs carrier lifetime twice longer compared with BA2PbI4. This simulation presents a rational route to make high performance two-dimensional perovskite solar cells.

Organ- and Age-Specific Differences of Dioscorea polystachya Compounds Measured by UPLC-QTOF/MS.

Dioscorea polystachya, named Chinese yam, is widely cultivated as a functional food and natural medicine in China. There is currently little information about the chemical characteristics of Dioscorea polystachya in different organs (tuber cortex and tuber flesh) and at various ages. In this study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS) was used to profile chemical compounds in Dioscorea polystachya. As a result, thirty-eight compounds were detected in yam tuber cortex and tuber flesh. More compounds were detected in yam tuber cortex than in tuber flesh. Compounds such as dehydroepiandrosterone, allantoin and flavonoids were selected as biomarker candidates. Dehydroepiandrosterone was found more abundant in tuber flesh, while allantoin and flavonoids showed higher levels in tuber cortex. Furthermore, the levels of dioscin, malvalic acid and sucrose differed significantly among age groups and were highest in the tubers at 2 years. While the levels of allantoin, adenosine and glutamine increased with the growing years and were highest at 4 years. Thus, 2-year old Dioscorea polystachya tubers could be harvested to prepare dioscin, malvalic acid and sucrose supplements. The 4-year-old Dioscorea polystachya tubers would be the best choice for obtaining a large amount of allantoin and adenosine in industrial production.

Discrimination of Different Parts of Saffron by Metabolomic-Based Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with High-Definition Mass Spectrometry.

In this study, the metabolite profiling of three different parts of Crocus sativus L. was measured by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTof-MS/MS). Multivariate statistical analysis was used to distinguish among the samples from different parts. A total of 54 compounds were identified in tepals, stigmas and stamens by UPLC-QTof-MS/MS. The results stated that chemical characteristics of saffron were obviously diverse in terms of the parts of flower. Through analysis, coniferin and crocin-2 were special components in stigmas when compared to tepals and stamens. The content of flavonoids was high in tepals when compared with the stigmas. The tepal of saffron may processed as a source of flavonoids in the future. The research provided the basis for the theory that only the stigma can be used as medicine.

Crystal structures of hybrid completely reduced phosphomolybdates and catalytic performance applied as molecular catalysts for the reduction of chromium(VI).

The exploration of highly efficient and low-cost catalysts for the treatment of hexavalent chromium CrVI in environmental remediation is currently one of the most challenging topics. Here, three phosphomolybdate hybrid compounds have been successfully isolated by the hydrothermal method and been applied as supramolecular catalysts for the reduction of CrVI. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction revealed their formulae as (H2bpp)2[Fe(H2O)][Sr(H2O)4]2{Fe[Mo6O12(OH)3(H2PO4)(HPO4)(PO4)2]2}·5H2O (1), (H2bpp)2[Na(H2O)(OC2H5)][Fe(H2O)2][Ca(H2O)2]2{Fe[Mo6O12(OH)3(H2PO4)(HPO4)(PO4)2]2}·4H2O (2) and (H2bpe)3{Fe[Mo6O12(OH)3(HPO4)3(H2PO4)]2}·8H2O (3) [bpp is 1,3-bis(pyridin-4-yl)propane (C13H14N2) and bpe is trans-1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethylene (C12H10N2)]. The three hybrids consist of supramolecular networks built up by noncovalent interactions between {Fe[P4Mo6VO31]2}22- polyanions and protonated organic cations. This kind of hybrid polyoxometalate could be applied as heterogeneous molecular catalysts for the reduction of CrVI. It was found that the organic moiety plays a vital role in influencing the catalytic activity of the polyanions. Organic bpp-containing hybrids 1 and 2 are highly active in the catalytic reduction of heavy metal CrVI ions using HCOOH as reductant, while bpe-containing hybrid 3 is inactive to this reaction. This work is significant for the design of new catalysts, as well as the exploration of reaction mechanisms at a molecular level.

The curcumin derivative WZ35 activates ROS-dependent JNK to suppress hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis.

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of cancer death; due to the progress made in the elucidation of the mechanism of cancer cell metastasis, there is hope for patients with severe stages of cancer. Curcumin, as a novel anti-cancer drug, has been applied in cancer therapy; however, the toxicity of curcumin hinders its application. Herein, we constructed a novel derivative, WZ35, and evaluated its metastatic inhibition properties in vitro and in vivo. CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate the tumor suppressive activity of WZ35. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry analysis. Transwell cell migration assay and RTCA were used to detect cell migration in mock and WZ35-treated cells. Western blotting was performed to analyze molecular alteration with different treatments. In this study, we found that curcumin and its derivative WZ35 could dramatically suppress proliferation, invasion, and migration of the hepatocellular HCCLM3, HepG2, and Huh7 cancer cells. Moreover, the cancer cell metastatic markers MMP-2, MMP-9, and N-cadherin were decreased, and E-cadherin was up-regulated. In addition, our data show that WZ35 promotes ROS-dependent JNK activation that is essential for WZ35-caused cell metastasis suppression. Moreover, the NAC and JNK inhibitor SP600125 could dramatically reverse WZ35-caused MMP-2, MMP-9, and N-cadherin reduction and E-cadherin up-regulation. We have also found that WZ35 exhibits powerful anti-metastasis activity of HCCLM3 in vivo. In conclusion, our data indicated that WZ35 could be a candidate for the treatment of metastatic liver cancer patients.

Evolution, gene expression profiling and 3D modeling of CSLD proteins in cotton.

BACKGROUND: Among CESA-like gene superfamily, the cellulose synthase-like D (CSLD) genes are most similar to cellulose synthase genes and have been reported to be involved in tip-growing cell and stem development. However, there has been no genome-wide characterization of this gene subfamily in cotton. We thus sought to analyze the evolution and functional characterization of CSLD proteins in cotton based on fully sequenced cotton genomes. RESULTS: A total of 23 full-length CSLD proteins were identified in Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium arboreum and Gossypium hirsutum. The phylogenetic tree divided the CSLD proteins into five clades with strong support: CSLD1, CSLD2/3, CSLD4, CSLD5 and CSLD6. The total expression of GhCSLD genes was the highest in androecium & gynoecium (mostly contributed by CSLD1 and CSLD4) compared with other CSL genes. CSLD1 and CSLD4 were only highly expressed in androecium & gynoecium (A&G), and showed tissue-specific expression. The total expression of CSLD2/3, 5 and 6 was highest in the specific tissues. These results suggest that CSLD genes showed the different pattern of expression. Cotton CSLD proteins were subjected to different evolutionary pressures, and the CSLD1 and CSLD4 proteins exhibited episodic and long-term shift positive selection. The predicted three-dimensional structure of GrCSLD1 suggested that GrCSLD1 belongs to glycosyltransferase family 2. The amino acid residues under positive selection in the CSLD1 lineage are positioned in a region adjacent to the class-specific region (CSR), ß1-strand and transmembrane helices (TMHs) in the GrCSLD1structure. CONCLUSION: Our results characterized the CSLD proteins by an integrated approach containing phylogeny, transcriptional profiling and 3D modeling. The study added to the understanding about the importance of the CSLD family and provide a useful reference for selecting candidate genes and their associations with the biosynthesis of the cell wall in cotton.

Homeodomain Protein Scr Regulates the Transcription of Genes Involved in Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis in the Silkworm.

The silkworm Dominant trimolting (Moltinism, M³) mutant undergoes three larval molts and exhibits precocious metamorphosis. In this study, we found that compared with the wild-type (WT) that undergoes four larval molts, both the juvenile hormone (JH) concentration and the expression of the JH-responsive gene Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) began to be greater in the second instar of the M³ mutant. A positional cloning analysis revealed that only the homeodomain transcription factor gene Sex combs reduced (Scr) is located in the genomic region that is tightly linked to the M³ locus. The expression level of the Scr gene in the brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata (Br-CC-CA) complex, which controls the synthesis of JH, was very low in the final larval instar of both the M³ and WT larvae, and exhibited a positive correlation with JH titer changes. Importantly, luciferase reporter analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrated that the Scr protein could promote the transcription of genes involved in JH biosynthesis by directly binding to the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of homeodomain protein on their promoters. These results conclude that the homeodomain protein Scr is transcriptionally involved in the regulation of JH biosynthesis in the silkworm.

The homeodomain transcription factors antennapedia and POU-M2 regulate the transcription of the steroidogenic enzyme gene Phantom in the silkworm.

The steroid hormone ecdysone, which controls insect molting and metamorphosis, is synthesized in the prothoracic gland (PG), and several steroidogenic enzymes that are expressed specifically in the PG are involved in ecdysteroidogenesis. In this study, we identified new regulators that are involved in the transcriptional control of the silkworm steroidogenic enzyme genes. In silico analysis predicted several potential cis-regulatory elements (CREs) for the homeodomain transcription factors Antennapedia (Antp) and POU-M2 in the proximal promoters of steroidogenic enzyme genes. Antp and POU-M2 are expressed dynamically in the PG during larval development, and their overexpression in silkworm embryo-derived (BmE) cells induced the expression of steroidogenic enzyme genes. Importantly, luciferase reporter analyses, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that Antp and POU-M2 promote the transcription of the silkworm steroidogenic enzyme gene Phantom (Phm) by binding directly to specific motifs within overlapping CREs in the Phm promoter. Mutations of these CREs in the Phm promoter suppressed the transcriptional activities of both Antp and POU-M2 in BmE cells and decreased the activities of mutated Phm promoters in the silkworm PG. In addition, pulldown and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that Antp can interact with POU-M2. Moreover, RNA interference-mediated down-regulation of either Antp or POU-M2 during silkworm wandering not only decreased the ecdysone titer but also led to the failure of metamorphosis. In summary, our results suggest that Antp and POU-M2 coordinate the transcription of the silkworm Phm gene directly, indicating new roles for homeodomain proteins in regulating insect ecdysteroidogenesis.

Promiscuous and specific recognition among ephrins and Eph receptors.

Eph-ephrin interactions control the signal transduction between cells and play an important role in carcinogenesis and other diseases. The interactions between Eph receptors and ephrins of the same subclass are promiscuous; there are cross-interactions between some subclasses, but not all. To understand how Eph-ephrin interactions can be both promiscuous and specific, we investigated sixteen energy landscapes of four Eph receptors (A2, A4, B2, and B4) interacting with four ephrin ligands (A1, A2, A5, and B2). We generated conformational ensembles and recognition energy landscapes starting from separated Eph and ephrin molecules and proceeding up to the formation of Eph-ephrin complexes. Analysis of the Eph-ephrin recognition trajectories and the co-evolution entropy of 400 ligand binding domains of Eph receptor and 241 ephrin ligands identified conserved residues during the recognition process. Our study correctly predicted the promiscuity and specificity of the interactions and provided insights into their recognition. The dynamic conformational changes during Eph-ephrin recognition can be described by progressive conformational selection and population shift events, with two dynamic salt bridges between EphB4 and ephrin-B2 contributing to the specific recognition. EphA3 cancer-related mutations lowered the binding energies. The specificity is not only controlled by the final stage of the interaction across the protein-protein interface, but also has large contributions from binding kinetics with the help of dynamic intermediates along the pathway from the separated Eph and ephrin to the Eph-ephrin complex.

X-ray crystal structure of phosphodiesterase 2 in complex with a highly selective, nanomolar inhibitor reveals a binding-induced pocket important for selectivity.

To better understand the structural origins of inhibitor selectivity of human phosphodieasterase families (PDEs 1-11), here we report the X-ray crystal structure of PDE2 in complex with a highly selective, nanomolar inhibitor (BAY60-7550) at 1.9 Å resolution, and the structure of apo PDE2 at 2.0 Å resolution. The crystal structures reveal that the inhibitor binds to the PDE2 active site by using not only the conserved glutamine-switch mechanism for substrate binding, but also a binding-induced, hydrophobic pocket that was not reported previously. In silico affinity profiling by molecular docking indicates that the inhibitor binding to this pocket contributes significantly to the binding affinity and thereby improves the inhibitor selectivity for PDE2. Our results highlight a structure-based design strategy that exploits the potential binding-induced pockets to achieve higher selectivity in the PDE inhibitor development.

Preparation and antitumor activity of bFGF-mediated active targeting doxorubicin microbubbles.

Characterization and antitumor activity of basic fibroblast growth factor-mediated active targeting doxorubicin microbubbles (bFGF-DOX-MB) were investigated. Pluronic F68 with chemical conjugation of doxorubicin (DOX-P) and peptide KRTGQYKLC-conjugated DSPE-PEG2000 were prepared. bFGF-DOX-MB had a normal distribution of particle size, with average particle size of 2.7 µm. Using A549 mouse model, bFGF-DOX-MB combined ultrasound showed the best inhibition effect on tumor volume growth among all the test groups. Similar conclusion was obtained from experimental measurements of tumor weight change and blood cell count. From the results, chemotherapeutic drug inhibition on tumor growth could be enhanced by local ultrasound combined with active targeting bFGF-DOX-MB, which might provide a potential application for ultrasound-mediated chemotherapy.

Epirubicin loaded with propylene glycol liposomes significantly overcomes multidrug resistance in breast cancer.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major reasons for the failure of cancer chemotherapy. A newly reported liposome carrier, propylene glycol liposomes (EPI-PG-liposomes) were made to load epirubicin (EPI) which enhanced EPI absorption in MDR tumor cells to overcome the drug resistance. MDA-MB 435 and their mutant resistant (MDA-MB 435/ADR) cells were used to examine the cellular uptake and P-gp function in vitro for EPI-PG-liposomes by fluorescence microscopy and FCM, respectively. Mammary tumor model was also established to investigate the tumor growth inhibition and pharmacodynamics of EPI-PG-liposomes in vivo. Morphology evaluation showed that EPI-PG-liposomes had a homogeneous spherical shape with an average diameter of 182 nm. Based on cell viability assay, fluorescent microscopy examination, and EPI uptake assay, EPI-PG-liposomes exhibited an effective growth inhibition not only in MDA-MB-435 cells, but also in MDA-MB 435/ADR cells. EPI-PG-liposomes have high permeability not only on tumor cell membrane, but also on cell nucleus membrane. P-gp function assay showed that the anticancer action of EPI-PG-liposomes was not related to P-gp efflux pump, suggesting that PG-liposomes would not affect the normal physiological functions of membrane proteins. EPI-PG-liposomes also showed a better antitumor efficacy compared to EPI solution alone. With high entrapment efficiency, spherical morphology and effective inhibition on MDR cancer cells, EPI-PG-liposomes may represent a better chemotherapeutic vectors for cancer targeted therapy.